Display instrument

Abstract

A display instrument with two illuminated pointers, in which instrument the illuminated pointers ( 4, 6 ) are supplied with light via a light splitter ( 10 ). The latter has a frustum-shaped depression ( 21 ) so that a portion of the light is radiated in the axial direction and passes into the upper illuminated pointer ( 4 ). A further portion is scattered radially at the generated surface ( 24 ) of the frustum ( 23 ) and passes into the lower illuminated pointer ( 6 ).

1. A display instrument comprising
 at least two illuminated pointers which are located one on top of the other, each composed of a head and a pointer lug and rotatable independently of one another about a common display axis, the illuminated pointers being composed of a light-guiding material and each having a light entry face and light injected there exiting on a side of the pointer lugs facing a viewer,  
 a drive unit ( 3 ), the drive unit ( 3 ) driving an upper pointer ( 4 ) of said pointers, a lower pointer ( 6 ) of said pointers being located, or moveable, between the drive unit ( 3 ) and the upper pointer ( 4 ), wherein for at least two of the illuminated pointers ( 4 ,  6 ) there is a common light source, and light is fed to the illuminated pointers ( 4 ,  6 ) via a light splitter ( 10 ), wherein a drive shaft ( 7 ) of the upper pointer ( 4 ) serves as a light guide and a portion of the drive shaft ( 7 ) is embodied as the light splitter ( 10 ), and the light is led from the drive shaft ( 7 ) of the upper pointer ( 4 ) via the light splitter ( 10 ) to a generated surface ( 32 ) of the lower pointer ( 6 ), and  
 light from the light source enters a bottom portion of the drive shaft, and is conducted via the drive shaft ( 7 ) through the drive unit ( 3 ) to the light splitter ( 10 ).  
 
     
     
       2. The display instrument as claimed in  claim 1 , wherein the light splitter ( 10 ) is plugged together with a main part ( 8 ) of the drive shaft ( 7 ). 
     
     
       3. The display instrument as claimed in  claim 1 , wherein in the light splitter ( 10 ), one portion of the light exits in a direction of an axis of rotation and a further portion exits perpendicular thereto. 
     
     
       4. The display instrument as claimed in  claim 3 , wherein an upper of the illuminated pointers ( 4 ) has the light entry face ( 30 ) which picks up the light exiting in the axial direction, said upper illuminated pointer ( 4 ) being plugged onto the light splitter ( 10 ). 
     
     
       5. The display instrument as claimed in  claim 4 , wherein a lower of said illuminated pointers ( 6 ) has the light entry face which picks up laterally exiting light. 
     
     
       6. The display instrument as claimed in  claim 5 , wherein a head ( 12 ) of the lower illuminated pointer ( 6 ) surrounds the light splitter ( 10 ) in an annular shape and the light entry face is embodied on an inner said generated surface ( 32 ) in the head ( 12 ). 
     
     
       7. The display instrument as claimed in  claim 1 , wherein in the light splitter ( 10 ), one portion of the light exits in a direction of an axis of rotation and a further portion exits perpendicular thereto. 
     
     
       8. The display instrument as claimed in  claim 7 , wherein an upper of the illuminated pointers ( 4 ) has the light entry face ( 30 ) which picks up the light exiting in the axial direction, said upper illuminated pointer ( 4 ) being plugged onto the light splitter ( 10 ). 
     
     
       9. The display instrument as claimed in  claim 8 , wherein a lower of said illuminated pointers ( 6 ) has the light entry face which picks up laterally exiting light. 
     
     
       10. The display instrument as claimed in  claim 9 , wherein a head ( 12 ) of the lower illuminated pointer ( 6 ) surrounds the light splitter ( 10 ) in an annular shape and the light entry face is embodied on an inner said generated surface ( 32 ) in the head ( 12 ). 
     
     
       11. The display instrument as claimed in  claim 1 , wherein the light splitter ( 10 ) has a frustum-shaped coaxial depression ( 21 ), a generated surface ( 24 ) of frustum ( 23 ) serving as a reflection face for laterally exiting light and a base face ( 25 ) serving as an exit face for axially exiting light. 
     
     
       12. The display instrument as claimed in  claim 1 , where the light source is positioned in axial direction of the drive shaft ( 7 ). 
     
     
       13. The display instrument as claimed in  claim 12 , wherein the light source is a light-emitting diode ( 40 ) which is arranged below an end of the drive shaft ( 7 ) which is remote from the light splitter ( 10 ) and injects light into the end of the drive shaft ( 7 ). 
     
     
       14. A display instrument comprising:
 at least two illuminated pointers which are located one on top of the other, each composed of a head and a pointer lug, the illuminated pointers being rotatable independently of one another about a common display axis, the pointers being composed of a light-guiding material and each having a light entry face wherein light injected at the entry face exits on a side of the pointer lugs facing a viewer; 
 a drive unit ( 3 ), the drive unit ( 3 ) driving an upper pointer ( 4 ) of said pointers, a lower pointer ( 6 ) of said pointers being located for movement between the drive unit ( 3 ) and the upper pointer ( 4 ), wherein for at least two of the illuminated pointers ( 4 ,  6 ) there is a common light source on a side of the drive unit opposite the pointers, and light is fed to the illuminated pointers ( 4 ,  6 ) via a light splitter ( 10 ), wherein a drive shaft ( 7 ) of the upper pointer ( 4 ) serves as a light guide and a portion of the drive shaft ( 7 ) is embodied as the light splitter ( 10 ), and the light is led from the light source via the drive shaft ( 7 ) of the upper pointer ( 4 ) through the drive unit to the light splitter ( 10 ) and via the light splitter to a generated surface ( 32 ) of the lower pointer ( 6 ); and  
 wherein the light splitter  10  has a frustum-shaped coaxial depression located on an axis of the drive shaft ( 7 ) of the upper pointer for directing rays of a portion of the light from the light source toward the upper pointer and further rays from a further portion of the light from the light source toward the lower pointer.  
 
 
     
     
       15. A display instrument comprising:
 at least two illuminated pointers which are located one on top of the other, each composed of a head and a pointer lug, the illuminated pointers being rotatable independently of one another about a common display axis, the pointers being composed of a light-guiding material and each having a light entry face wherein light injected at the entry face exits on a side of the pointer lugs facing a viewer;  
 a drive unit ( 3 ), the drive unit ( 3 ) driving an upper pointer ( 4 ) of said pointers, a lower pointer ( 6 ) of said pointers being located for movement between the drive unit ( 3 ) and the upper pointer ( 4 ), wherein for at least two of the illuminated pointers ( 4 ,  6 ) there is a common light source, and light is fed to the illuminated pointers ( 4 ,  6 ) via a light splitter ( 10 ), wherein a drive shaft ( 7 ) of the upper pointer ( 4 ) serves as a light guide and a portion of the drive shaft ( 7 ) is embodied as the light splitter ( 10 ), and the light is led from the light source via the drive shaft ( 7 ) of the upper pointer ( 4 ) to the light splitter ( 10 ) and via the light splitter to a generated surface ( 32 ) of the lower pointer ( 6 ); and  
 wherein the light splitter  10  has a frustum-shaped coaxial depression located on an axis of the drive shaft ( 7 ) of the upper pointer for directing rays of a portion of the light from the light source toward the upper pointer and further rays from a further portion of the light from the light source toward the lower pointer.